Microsoft seems to be erasing all traces of the Start menu we all know and love, at least in Windows 8's default configuration. Last year's Developer Preview already responded differently to a click on the Start orb in Desktop mode, bringing up the so-called charm bar with a link to the Metro tile screen. Now, screenshots of a fresh Windows 8 build gathered by Neowin show the Start orb has disappeared.

Neowin suggests the orb can be summoned back by moving the mouse cursor to the bottom-left of the screen, although that simply brings up the Metro UI. In effect, the taskbar in Windows 8's Desktop interface ...